Kentucky has seen a statewide spike in traffic fatalities this year, and so have McCracken and Marshall counties. As of Dec. 21, Kentucky State Police reports 712 traffic deaths on Kentucky roadways this year, an increase of 72 over 2014. According to KSP, there have been 14 collisions in McCracken County that resulted in 15 deaths. Of those, David White, assistant chief at the Paducah Police Department, said seven occurred within the city limits and eight people were killed — the highest number of traffic deaths in the city in the past decade. In 2014, four people died as a result of vehicle collisions in McCracken County, all within Paducah’s city limits. “Overall, collisions are up by 23 percent in the city,” White said. “As of Dec. 21, we’ve seen about 1,800 crashes.” He said the increase is most likely a result of heavier traffic. “There is more traffic on the roads, and people need to pay attention when they are driving as most collisions are avoidable.”

McCracken Chief Deputy Mike Turnbow agreed, saying in his 30 years on the job he’s “seen it all,” from drivers applying makeup to reading the newspaper while behind the wheel.McCracken Chief Deputy Mike Turnbow agreed, saying in his 30 years on the job he’s “seen it all,” from drivers applying makeup to reading the newspaper while behind the wheel. “No amount of law enforcement can change distracted driving,” he said. “That’s something the drivers have to change. All we can do is educate drivers about safer driving practices and enforce traffic laws.” In Marshall County, 2015 was shaping up to be one of the worst years in about a decade with 12 fatalities by the end of July. But Sheriff Kevin Byars said things “slowed down” in the last few months, and the county now counts 16 traffic deaths. The majority of fatal wrecks in Marshall County occurred on highways where motorists were traveling at high speeds, Byars said. “Speed is a huge factor, and no matter what kind of safety devices you’ve got, if you’ve got speed as a factor in a crash you’re going to have violent results.” The sheriff attributed the decline in accidents in the second half of the year to utilizing highway safety money to beef up patrols and enforcement, as well as recent construction on the highways, which forced drivers to slow down. Byars cites a lack of driver concen- tration as the leading cause of fatal accidents. “The No. 1 thing in my opinion is inattention,” he said. “That is becoming a very big issue, and what I mean by inattention is not only cellphone usage, but also eating in the vehicle, messing with the radio, anything that will take your attention away from driving.” In addition to the rise in fatal vehicle collisions, Byars said the county has also seen more motorcycle deaths. In a majority of those wrecks, the riders were not wearing helmets. “I know the law in the state of Kentucky does not require riders to wear helmets,” he said. “I don’t understand the thought process of the legislators who decided to pass a bill where you have to wear a seat belt but you don’t have to wear a helmet. It’s not a guarantee that you’re going to survive a crash if you do have a helmet on, but it increases your chances quite a bit.” With traffic fatalities on the rise, KSP spokesman Sgt. Michael Webb said the agency is increasing its efforts to persuade all drivers to buckle up. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that seat belts reduce the risk of fatal injury to front- seat passengers by 45 percent. Webb said it’s heart-wrenching for troopers who have to notify families that their loved one has been killed in a crash. “It’s twice as hard when you know the death could have been prevented,” he said. “It’s a proven fact that people have a better chance of surviving a crash when they are wearing their seat belts.” ​Contact Kat Russell, a Paducah Sun staff writer, at 270-575-8653. ​